How to embroider French knots

A french knot is a difficult stitch for some people but I have a tip or two in this tutorial. I am putting them up the front so people notice them before they embark upon learning the stitch.

Stitchers problem #1 Your knot pops through the fabric to the back!

If your knot pops through the fabric, you are not leaving a large enough gap where the thread emerges from the fabric and where it goes back into the fabric. When you follow the directions take a look at the third photo and make sure you take the needle back into the fabric a couple of threads away from where it came out. Put simply dont put your needle back into the same hole.

Stitchers problem #2 my wraps get stuck on the needle

Second tip is to use milliners needles as they are the secret weapon in creating not only French knots but also Bullion knots and many of the knotted stitches.

Any of the knotted stitches are best worked with milliners needles or straw needles because of the way they are made. Most embroidery needles have an eye that is wider than the shaft of the needle. Milliners or straw needles have an eye and shaft that are the same width which makes sliding the wrapped bullion or French knot along the needle easy.

I hope these tips lead to pleasant stitching experiences when you learn how to work French knots!

How to work French Knots

Bring the needle out through the fabric and holding the thread taut with your left hand twist the needle round the thread two or three times.

Still holding the thread firmly take the needle back into the fabric one or two threads away from where the working thread emerges. Insert the needle.

Brush the knot down the shaft of the needle with the nail of your left thumb so that it is sitting firmly on the fabric as illustrated. Pull the thread through to the back of the fabric. As you pull keep the working thread tensioned firmly but not too tight.

Use your left index finger and hold the thread against the fabric as you pull the thread through the knot. This helps prevent tangles.

The thickness of the thread and the number of wraps on the needle will determine the size of the finished knot. You can use all sorts of threads to create interesting effects. In the sample below I used hand dyed cotton perle # 5 and #8 and the white French knots is Metallic Madeira braid 9808.

In this sample I have used an acrylic knitting yarn that was blended with a metallic thread to create the ‘grapes’ in this piece of crazy quilting.

The next sample is a similar design that is created using hand dyed 4mm silk ribbon.

You can use them in contemporary hand embroidery too. Here they are uses in combination with small straight stitches and bullion knots.

Another example of French knots used in Contemporary embroidery used in combination with beading and eyelets. A mix of threads were used including cotton perle #5 and #8, silk, stranded cotton floss, cotton abroder, chainette thread and rayon ribbon floss.

The last sample is of french knots worked in cotton perle #5. It is a small detail on a crazy quilt block.

French knots are also known as French dot, knotted stitch, twisted knot stitch and wound stitch.

I also explain how to stitch and build decorative seam treatments in interesting and creative ways. My book is profusely illustrated as my aim is to be practical and inspiring.

Stitchers templates

My templates aim to help you take your stitching to the next level. Designed by an embroiderer for embroiderers. With them you can create hundreds of different hand embroidery patterns to embellish with flair. These templates are easy to use, made of clear plastic so you can position them easily and are compact in your sewing box.

These are simple to use. You simply position the template in place and use a quilter’s pencil to trace along the edge of the template. Stitch along this line to decorate the seam. I have a free ebook of patterns to accompany each set which illustrates how they can be used.

I finally finished my french knots, tedius little devils! Maybe not as bad if you only do a few here and there. If you look at my sample which in the blog post titled “It began on I-65” you’ll see why I don’t love french knots today!

After a trip to Denmark, Germany and the Netherland´s, intensive finishing week of my embroidery class in Stockholm and a long weekend in the countryside I am definitely behind. But I will do my best to catch up. I start with French knots as I have done a lot of knots this spring. See my blog at http://ullabritt.wordpress.com/tast-2012/16-french-knots/

Dear Sharon, doing a design with a Frenchknot is new to me.
However I tried it out. But i think the result is not that perfect. O.K. Let me try again.
Now see my work at my blog and i will be back with some more designs in improved version.
Thankyou Sharon it is very interesting to participate in tast.http://viji-crafts.blogspot.in/2012/04/tast-week16-frenchknot.html

Sharon, I think I love French knots and hope I have improved since that first Sumptuous Surfaces piece – my knot picture (not quite finished) is on my blog – http://www.maggies-textiles.blogspot.com
margb.

Hi Sharon
So pleased you have chosen French Knots as I wanted to share with everyone some of my relatives work. I think my grandmother did these, but cannot be sure of exactly who did. These pieces are done on silk with single thread.
I will have a go myself this week and post again.
My bloghttp://pippaquilts.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you Sharon for this chance to show some wonderful work and ideas.

Again, I love you samples Sharon! So gorgeous! You can see what I did at http://princessbubblescreates.blogspot.ca/
Someone once told me that there is no point in learning to do a french knot, that’s what beads are for. Well, I disagree. As much as I love beads I think there is always room for french knots!

I love french knots and find them easy to do, but then Mom taught me decades ago! I had already done them on this area of a crazy quilt block. I was behind on the stem stitch and there is a french knot on the bird I embroidered for it, but there are more french knots on the crazy patch.

This week I have a lot to do to get ready for a trip, so glad you picked a stitch I already had done! : – )